The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-09-16
A FACTION FEUD.
An Entire County i'm Illinois
in a State Of Siege.
Bitter Quarrels Lead to Whole
sale Assassination.

A otter from Elizabethtown, H., says
that the notorious Belt-Oldham feud, which
has caused the murder of not less than
dozen persons in Hardin County, is likely to
break forth again at any time. Oath-bound
organizations are known to exist among the
lawless people of the hills, and these have
demonstrated that their purpose is assassin
alton.
The feud began with the murder of ''Doc"
Oldham by Logan Belt in 1876. The neigh
borhood divided into factions over the affair.
At this time the ''SOnS of Liberty" who
committed 50 many outrageS and asSaSsina-
tions, were formed. While the excitement in
regard to the organization ran high, Belt
was arraigned for the murder of DOC" Old
ham. He was tried on a change of venue at
Shawneetown and sentenced to fifteen years
in the penitentiary. be served SIX years and
then was pardoned by Governor Oglesby.
During his incarceration ugly rumors
reached him about the conduct of his wife
and daughters: and when he reached home,
he was divorced from his wife and drove his
daughters from home. Then his wife's bI other,
who had been associated with Belt in numer
GUS crimes, went before the Grand Jury in
the fall Of 1886 and gave his testimony, re-
Sulting in the Indictment of Logan Belt,
g Jim " Belt, Earl Sherwood, George Rat
cliff, Henry Ledbetter and Matthew Led
better for the murder of Luke Hambrink.
On the morning of the Indictment Logan
Belt appeared in Elizabethtown with new
bride He was promptly arrested, together
with the others indicted with him. They
were arraigned in April last, and after ten
days trial the jury returned verdict of not
guilty.
The desire for revenge in the breasts of the
enemies of Logan Belt and his clansmen
prompted them to become assasSins. Belt
was warned of his danger and kept his wife
constantly by his side as precautiOn. But
on the evening of June last he drove along
the public highway unattended, and at the
crack of a rife from a clump of bushes near
the roadside, he fell from his Duggy dead.
Notices were sent to the other members of
'Jim" Belt was preparing to go, but on the
evening Of July 18th he riddled
with a charge of buckshot within
half mile OF his own house George
Ratcliff, another member of the Belt
faction was with Jim Belt when he was
killed, and only saved his life by running
away He has received notice to leave
Hardin County, but at last accounts he was
safely garrisoned at the home of his trOther-
in-law, County Judge Jacob Hess.
The other members of the Belt faction have
received similar notices and some of them
have obeyed. The friends of both sides now
go armed daily, and band themselves to-
gether for protection at night. Many of them
are afraid to sleep in their houses, but,
with guns by their sides, lie beneath
the shade of bushes, alternating with
one another in sentry work. The
Governor has offered the customary rewards
for the arrest of the aSSaSSins of Logan and
''Jimn Belt, but no one is brave enough to
NEEDLE with those dangerous mysteries.
Strangers in passing through that neighbor-
hood meet with a cool reception and are
warned to go elsewhere.